Mario Lemieux sends Kris Letang a special message before his 1000th game.

The Pittsburgh Penguins are no doubt fully focused on their fight for a spot in the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs at the moment, but in spite of that the team will be recognizing a major milestone for one of their players tonight when they take on intrastate rivals the Philadelphia Flyers.

That milestone will of course be Kris Letang's 1000th game in the National Hockey League and subsequently his 1000th game as a member of the Penguins franchise. Letang was of course drafted in the third round (62nd overall) of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft by the Penguins and has spent his entire career with the franchise up until this point.

Not only will Letang be recognized for his incredible achievement, but the defenseman from Montreal, Quebec also received a very special message ahead of the big game from one of his home province's greatest icons, NHL legend Mario Lemieux.

"It's hard to believe you are celebrating your 1,000th game in the National Hockey League. you have solidified yourself as one of the greatest defensemen in Penguins history, as well as the history of the NHL," wrote Lemieux in a statement on Sunday. "Your strength, determination, and resilience are a testament to your success. it has been a pleasure watching each and every game - especially the three cup runs.

"I wish you many more games, my friend. merci pour les souvenirs!"

"Merci pour les souvenirs" translate to "thanks for the memories" which is pretty fitting given that Lemieux has played a prominent role with the Penguins during Letang's tenure on the team and has likely witnessed all of his exploits over those many seasons.

A kid from Quebec probably couldn't have asked for a better endorsement ahead of his 1000th NHL game.